Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 58

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Beers
Number of Pages: 1502

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 58

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Mr. Cornwell was born in the parish of Westfield, town of Middletown, August 26,

1825, son of David and Prudence ( Johnson) Cornwell. The founder of the family in this country, William Cornwell, settled at Rox- bury, Mass., about 1634, and he and his first wife, Joan, were members of the Rev. John Elliott's Church in 1635. In 1636 he went with the "great removal" to Connecticut, and in 1637 was one of thirty-seven soldiers from Hartford in the expedition against the Pequot Indians. This good man lived in Hartford until 1651 ; was a member of the church there, and probably all his children by his second wife, Mary, were born there. In 1651 Will- iam Cornwell removed to Middletown, being among the first settlers there, and residing near the present corner of Washington and Main streets, in Middletown, In 1664 he served as constable. Two years later he received a grant of land in East Hartford for his services in the Pequot war. In 1654, 1657. 1664 and 1665 William Cornwell was a representative to the Colonial Legislature, or General Court, and he died February 21, 1678, his wife surviving him.

The great-grandfather of Henry Cornwell was Rev. Warren Cornwell, and his son, Na- thaniel Cornwell, was a prominent citizen and farmer of Newfield. His holdings were very large, extending to Westfield and he gave each of his children a farm as they attained ma- turity. He married a lady named Mildrum, and they had a large family: Daniel went to Charlestown, N. H. ; Jabez, who was a farmer on the old homestead, and also owned land with his brother David, died in 1826; Timothy, deceased, lived in Newfield; Elihu was a farmer, and lived in Westfield ; Chauncey went West ; Mary married a Mr. Hall and removed to North Carolina; David was the father of our subject. All were well and favorably known in the several communities in which they resided.

David Cornwell was a farmer. locating upon the farm where he passed away after his marriage. His death, which occurred when his son Henry was but a child. was caused by what was then called lung fever, and after his demise his widow continued to reside upon the farm until 1852. She then made her home with her son Henry, at that time a resident of Westfield, continuing with him until her death, in 1863, when she was seventy-five years old. To David and Prudence Cornwell were born :

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(I) Mary Ann (deceased) married Ferdinand Dickinson, of East Berlin, Conn., and had four children-Linus, Ferdinand and Wallace H., all of Hartford; and Isabella, Mrs. Carl Dud- ley, of East Berlin. (2) Linus, born January 30, 1820, is residing at Kensington, Conn .; he married Sarah E. Platt, of Milford, Conn., and they have had seven children-Ida, born November II, 1853, a widow, lives in Ken- sington; William, born July 3, 1855, died in California, unmarried; Edwin, born Novem- ber 15, 1859, resides at New Britain, Conn., unmarried; Lillie, born July 30, 1860, is married and a resident of Kensington, Conn .; Linus, Jr., born December 12, 1864, resides in Kensington, Conn .; Lottie E., born January 30, 1867; is unmarried; Flor- ence, born December 1, 1868, died in infancy. Linus Cornwell has been a farmer for forty years, although he was a carpenter in his younger days. (3) Henry was the youngest in the family.

During his childhood Henry Cornwell at- tended the district school of Westfield, and among his teachers were Pardon K. Fay, Chester Sage, William Hall and Margaret Fuller. Until he was sixteen he worked upon the farm. About that time an Englishman, John Smith, located in Westfield, and, being pleased with the quiet, industrious character of the boy, made arrangements to have him become an apprentice to the trade of japanning, in which work Mr. Smith was an expert. Henry Cornwell made his home with Mr. Smith for some months until he thoroughly learned the business, when he went to New York-by carriage as far as Meriden; thence by rail to New Haven, where he took the steamer "New York" to his destination. Ar- riving in that city, which presented many novel sights to the country-bred boy, he went to James O. Smith, a son of John Smith, and worked with him at japanning. In March, 1844, Henry returned to Westfield, taking the steamer "Kosciusko" to New Haven, and en- tered the employ of the J. O. Smith & Sons Company, of Westfield, working at his trade. Remaining with this concern until May, 1868, Mr. Cornwell then removed to Middletown, entering the employ of the Victor Sewing Ma- chine Company, and worked as a contractor, at his trade, until 1883, when the company went out of business. Later he built a factory

of his own, on Hotchkiss avenue, manufactur- ing stationers' hardware with marked success, until he disposed of his interest, after which he did contract work in japanning for the Schuyler Electric Company. He retired in 1893.

On October 3, 1853, Henry Cornwell mar- ried Miss Charlotte M. Dewey, who was born February 10, 1827, in Middletown, daughter of W. Pitt and Sophrona (Kibbe) Dewey. The father was a carpenter in Middletown. Mrs. Cornwell was the eldest in a family of six children, four now surviving. Mr. and Mrs. Cornwell have resided at their present comfortable home since 1868, and have made many improvements upon it since taking pos- session. From the time he cast his first vote Mr. Cornwell has upheld the principles advo- cated by the Republican party, but does not aspire to office. During his residence in West- field. however, he served as justice of the peace. Mr. and Mrs. Cornwell are consistent imembers of the Congregational Church (South), and are most highly esteemed throughout Middletown, where they have lived the lives of good, kind, unassuming, Christian people, for so many years.

GEORGE WHITEFIELD STEVENS. One of the most highly respected and useful citizens of Cromwell, Middlesex county, is , Deacon George W. Stevens, who has been foreman in the foundry of the J. & E. Stevens Company, of that town, since the month of if April, 1853. Mr. Stevens descends from one ? of three brothers who came to this country at a very early day. The line between the first t Stevens and Deacon Stevens is clear back only to his great-grandfather, between whom and the original ancestor it is somewhat uncertain.

Nehemiah Stevens, the great-grandfather of Deacon Stevens, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. He reared a family of; seven children: Amaziah, Ichabod, Elijah, (the grandfather of Deacon Stevens), James, Elizabeth (who married a Wilcox), Abigail (who married a Dudley), and Sarah, or Sally (who married a Wilcox).

Elijah Stevens, the grandfather of Deacon Stevens, was born in Killingworth, Conn., and became a shoemaker and a tanner in his adult years. The latter part of his life was spent at Rocky Hill, Hartford county, where he fol-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

lowed his trade, and where he died in the home of his son, Nehemiah, at the venerable age of ninety-nine years. By his wife Flor- inda, he had the following children: Nehe- miah, Elihu, David, William, Elijah, Alexan- der, Jane, Chloe, Florinda, and Maria.

Elihu Stevens, the father of the Deacon, was born January 22, 1801, in Killingworth, and moved to Rocky Hill with his parents when he was quite young. His early life was spent in that community and as he grew up he ex- hibited a mechanical ingenuity that attracted attention. In mature life he was a carpenter, stone cutter, and builder, and in his later years engaged in well-digging, working out from Middletown, to which point he removed to take a position as foreman of a comb factory in that city. After leaving the factory, where he was engaged for ten years, he dug wells, cut stone, and had a shop in the district of of Middletown, which was then called Zoar, where he built heavy ox-cart wagons, and did general repairing. He was a very active and energetic man until his death, which occurred suddenly on June 19, 1884, and he was bur- ied in Pine Grove Cemetery in Middletown. Though club-footed, he was remarkably active, and was always a hard-working and energetic man.

Mr. Stevens was married to Julia Hall, born November 17, 1803, a native of Middle- town, and a daughter of Calvin Hall, who was a farmer. Their children were: Emeline, born April 12, 1829, married Washington Sudley, and is yet living ; Charles, born April 11, 1831, died April 29, 1881, without having ever mar- ried; George W., born September 7, 1833; Amos, born July 16, 1836, died September 16, 1849; Julia, born July 17, 1838, married George Woodworth, and still survives; Susan M., born May 28, 1840, is living unmarried in Cromwell; Samuel C., born December 22, 1842, married Maria Hall, and is now living in Middletown; Lucy, born July 3. 1845, died March 20, 1847; William H., born December 6, 1847, married Jennie Ronald.

George Whitefield Stevens was born Sep- tember 7, 1833, in the Long Hill district of Middletown, where he had the advantage of the public schools until he was sixteen years of age, when he left school and worked for his father a short time in his repair shop. In 1850 the young man came to Cromwell and en-

tered upon a three-years' apprenticeship at the molders trade in the factory of J. & E. Stev- ens, being under the special instruction of Will- iam Keighley, at that time the head molder of the establishment. His wages were pitched on a most modest scale while engaged in learn- ing this trade. The first year he had fourteen dollars a month; the second, seventeen dol- lars, and the third year, twenty dollars, and out of this he had to board and clothe himself. Only the most rigid economy and the utmost self-denial could have carried him through. Three months before the expiration of his ap- prenticeship, Mr. Keighley sold his interest in the company and left the factory. On his rec- commendation and at his suggestion Mr. Stev- ens was chosen foreman of the molding de- partment, a flattering promotion, and largely owing to the unstinted praise bestowed on him by Mr. Keighley, who said of him, "That boy can do anything I can do." When Mr. Ster- ens began with the firm it was known as J. & E. Stevens & Company. Now it is the J. & E. Stevens Company, and Deacon Stevens is the only man now left, who was connected, with the establishment at that time. Since Janu- ary, 1853, Deacon Stevens has been in charge as foreman of the molding department of the establishment. There are twenty-eight men under his direction, and he has repeatedly op- erated as many as forty. The factory is one of the most important in Cromwell, both in the number of men it carries on its pay-rolls, and in the size and value of its yearly out-put. Mr. Stevens rarely misses a day at his work, and long ago became one of the stockholders of the factory.

On October 17, 1855, Mr. Stevens was married to Jane A. Post, a daughter of Jared and Mary (Clark) (Post, all of Cromwell, where Jared Post was in his active life a ship- builder. To this union there was born only one child, Helen A., who is now living at home. Deacon Stevens is a Republican and has served as a selectman, two terms, declining re-election. Since his early youth he has been a member of the Baptist Church, and since 1855 has been a deacon and one of the principal supporters of the Cromwell Baptist Church, where his wife is also a conspicuous worker. In the Sunday-school Mr. Stevens, his wife and daughter have all been earnest workers. Mrs. Stevens has had charge of the primary de-

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partment of the school and is very successful in her work among the children, and Miss Helen is also a teacher. Deacon Stevens is a hale and well-preserved old man, has a powerful frame, and is still active and industrious. A pleas- ant and hospitable gentleman, his home is lo- cated on "The Plains," and it is the center of very charming associations.

CAPT. GEORGE C. SPENCER, now liv- ing retired at Westbrook, Middlesex county, is a descendant of an old New England family. His American ancestors can be traced back probably to 1610, to Jared Spencer, who set- tled at New Town, now Cambridge, Mass. The name Spencer is derived from the Latin noun dispensator, or steward, the original holder of the name in England being Robert, Dispensator, who was attached to the house- hold of William the Conqueror. The marriage of Michael Spencer, on January 25, 1555, is recorded in the parish of Edworth, in Bedford- shire, England, and his son Gerard became the father of four sons, William, Thomas, Michael and. Gerard (or Jared) Spencer, all of whom emigrated to America. The ancestor who set- tled at Cambridge later moved to Hartford and then to Haddam, Conn., about 1662, and was made a freeman in 1672. The death of this worthy man took place in 1685. From him the line of ancestry is through William, Isaac, Israel, Jared Wilson and Amasa.

Jared Wilson Spencer, grandfather of George C., was born February 24, 1760, in Lyme, Conn., where he became an extensive farmer. He left his plow in the furrow to join the Revolutionary army, and his widow drew a pension for many years before her death. Jared W. Spencer married Margaret Wiggins, who was born September 5, 1763, in Southold, Suffolk Co., L. I., daughter of John L. and Mary Wiggins, and died in 1842. The children of this marriage were Jared; John, a merchant in New York; Sylvester, a broker in New York, who married Sarah Clark : Mary Ann, who married Pardon Post, of Westbrook, later of New York, where they kept a boarding house on upper James street ; Joseph, who married a Miss Bushnell, and lived and died in Philadelphia; Oliver, a farmer in the State of New York; and Amasa; the father of George C.

Amasa Spencer was born August 5, 1801,

in Hadlyme, Conn. While quite young he was bound out to a farmer, remaining with him until he was fourteen years old, at which time the very laudable ambition of earning more money than the wages he was receiving entered his mind. The man to whom his papera had been given was not of the same mind, therefore Amasa ran away and came to West- brook, where his mother and brothers were then living. An opening seemed to come im- mediately, as he was given employment with his brothers and Pardon Post, engaged in the building of small craft, and later he began to take trips on the water, until at the age of eighteen he was considered mature enough to have charge of a vessel of some fifty tons; this vessel was probably the "Spencer," built at the first dwelling house that stands north of the present location of the postoffice. This boat ran between New York and points on the Connecticut river as far as Hartford, carry- ing freight and passengers. All his life Cap- tain Spencer followed the water, commanding many vessels. his last one being the "Iola," and he was interested in several small vessels. The "Iola" went as far South as the Carolinas, but most of his trips were on Northern waters. His retirement from active life was in about 1865, and he resided in Westbrook until his death, August 3, 1869. He married Lucy Spencer, who was born January 17, 1804, daughter of Joseph and Sabra (Dee) Spen- cer, and the children of this union were: Mar- garet, who married Jared Kirtland, of Meri- den, Conn .; George C., our subject; Nelson, who married Addie Horne, of Philadelphia (he was a captain in the United States revenue service for many years, and during the Civil war was an officer) ; and Evelina A., who married Sarah Dibble.

George C. Spencer was born July 28, 1828, in Westbrook, and had but few educational advantages. When but ten years of age, on February 1, 1839. he entered upon a seafaring life, shipping before the mast on the schooner "Texter," a vessel of one hundred tons, of which his father was captain, serving under him for four years, in the coasting trade. In 1842 he went to sea in the barque "Ann Welch," going to Europe, remaining on her twenty months, and after his return, in 1846, he attended a winter's school in Westbrook. In 1847 he shipped on the "Argo," a vessel of

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about eighty tons, built by his father and him- self (he owning one-eighth interest in the ves- sel), acting as mate. In the spring of 1852. he went to the northern part of Lake Michigan, where he remained for two years, trading with the Indians, and later, in the fall, acted as second mate on a Lake Erie steamboat.

The spring of 1854 opened dull in the coasting trade, and Capt. Spencer went to New York to take a position on the Hudson River Railroad. In July he went to Buffalo, with the intention of returning to steamboating on the lakes, but the cholera at that time was raging around Chicago and on the lakes, so it seemed dangerous to remain and Capt. Spencer went back to New York and went to sea as third mate on the ship "E. C. Scran- ton," of 1,600 tons, running between New York and Liverpool, in the employ of Evarts & Brown. He made two voyages, and while in the port of Liverpool was made mate of another ship of the same line, the "Silas Green- man." On October 1, 1855, this vessel was sent to Antwerp, Belgium, and was disabled on a shoal in the North Sea. Capt. Spencer stayed in Antwerp all that winter, remaining on the ship, which was in dock, where it was frozen in later. The boat got away in the spring and continned to sail between New Orleans and Liverpool, carrying over cotton and bringing back salt, iron, etc. The ship being sold, the Captain then returned to Westbrook. Unfortunately he caught the smallpox and for a year was not able to engage in work of any kind. When about recovered from this ill- ness, Capt. Spencer received an offer from the firm of Wood & Son, of New York, to go to Sombrero Island, in the West Indies, as their agent and look after their interests, and to superintend the phosphate mining, which work was performed by the natives. Until July 4, 1859, he remained there and then re- turned to New York, leaving the employ of Wood & Co. On July 24th of the same year the natives of the island mutinied and killed Capt. Spencer's successor.

The Captain next entered the employ of HT. B. Cromwell & Co .. of New York, who operated a fleet of vessels along the coast be- tween New York and Savannah, and was as- signed mate of the vessel "Montgomery," of 1,000 tons, being engaged as such at the break- ing out of the Civil war. He was in Savan-

nah when Fort Sumter was fired on and was discreet enough to keep his patriotic sentiments entirely to himself. The government, at a large expense, chartered some of the coast- ing vessels, among which was the "Montgom- ery," and six weeks later our subject was in Brooklyn navy yard when this vessel and the services of the crew were contracted for by the government for revenue service. Capt. Spen- cer was made pilot and sailing master of the revenue cutter "Crawford," of about 150 tons, the first of its kind to leave the navy yard, and was in service along the New England and Long Island coasts, watching for filibusters ; this boat was also stationed for a time near Staten Island, where it arrested several ves- sels.

After leaving the revenue service, where he had performed much acceptable work, Capt. Spencer went on to the "George Washington" as chief officer; this steamer was one of the best of its kind at that time. Later he was given command of the "Parkersburgh," an extra boat of the line which was used for haul- ing cotton from New Orleans when the rates were four cents per pound, the highest rates ever paid for freight on cotton. Still later he was employed on the Williams & Gion line, and for a time was first mate of the steamer "Wilmington," afterward being given charge of the steamer "Virginia," a large freight and passenger boat, which ran between Galveston, Texas, and New York. While on one of these trips, off the coast of Florida she sprang a leak, and with four or five feet of water in the hold, our subject ran the vessel to New York, al- though at times he thought he would have to beach her ; the engines pumped all the time, the ship at last reaching her port in safety. when the passengers learned of the peril which the brave commander had kept entirely from them. On September 1, 1866, Capt. Spencer gave up this position to return to Westbrook to attend to his farm and look after his three mother- less children, remaining for several years, but he finally accepted an offer made by the New York & New Haven Transportation Company to become superintendent of their floats and boats at Harlem river station, which position he held for one and one-half years. Since 1885, however, he has lived in comparative retirement in Westbrook in the summers, and in New York during the cold weather.

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Capt. Spencer was married (first) Sep- tember 17, 1855, to Mary Elizabeth Moore, a native of Westbrook, daughter of John and Emily (Crane) Moore. She died February 8, 1865, in Toledo, Ohio, and her remains lie in the cemetery at Westbrook. Children as follows came to this union: John M., born December 22, 1858, became a sailor, and was killed in Portland, Oregon, October 27, 1882; he was mate on a vessel running between Port- land and San Francisco, and is buried in the Odd Fellows' cemetery in that city. Caroline E., born April 21, 1861, was married in 1893 to Harry H. Trowbridge, and lives in New York, where her husband is an attorney in the employ of the New York Central & Hudson River Railway Company; James H., born in 1862, died in 1883. The second marriage of our subject, celebrated on April 17, 1870, was to Ann Wood Cone, a native of Westbrook, daughter of Eugene Cone. Her death took place in New York City December 14, 1885, and she is buried in Westbrook.

Although so much of his life has been passed on the water, Capt. Spencer has been of service to his town when a resident thereof, serving two years on the board of selectmen at the time when the Connecticut Valley Rail- road was being built and when the town hall of Westbrook was in course of erection. Dur- ing 1883-84 he was trial justice at Westbrook, and has ever taken a deep interest in the pro- gress of his home. In politics he is a stanch Republican. He is a constant attendant of the Congregational Church, which he has many times served in its business affairs. His beauti- ful home in Westbrook is thrown open in the summer, but, with a wide acquaintance, Capt. Spencer finds life more congenial during the winter in New York or Philadelphia.

HON. CHARLES L. GRISWOLD. Among the distinguished men of Middlesex county who have passed away stood eminent, in public, business and social life, Charles L. Griswold who was born in Bristol, Conn., May 27, 1822, and belonged to an old New England family which was founded in Amer- ica by Edward Griswold and his younger brother Matthew.

The English Griswolds (Griswoldes) were an ancient county family established at Solihull in Warwickshire, prior to the year 1400. The

family had a pedigree and were entitled to a coat of arms. viz .; Arg., a fesse gu, between two greyhounds courant, sa. Motto, "Fortiter et Celeriter," "Firmness and swiftness."

The Visitation of Warwick, 1619, gives thirteen generations of Griswolds. They traced their descent from a certain John Greswolde, who about the middle of the fourteenth cen- tury came from Kenilworth and married the daughter and heiress of Henry Hughford, of Hudderly Hall, in Solihull.

Edward and Matthew Griswold were de- scended from Sir Matthew Griswold, of Mal- vern Hall, near Lyme Regis, England. These two brothers came to Massachusetts in 1639, and the same year removed to ancient Say- brook, Conn. Mathew settled there perma- nently and became the agent of Col. Fenwick. He was the ancestor of Matthew Griswold, LL. D. (degree conferred by Yale), a native of Lyme, Conn., governor of Connecticut 1784- 86, also Judge of the Superior Court, etc., and president of the State Convention of 1788, that ratified the Constitution of the United States. He was born March 25, 1718. Roger Gris- wold, LL. D. (degree by both Yale and Harv- ard), was an eminent lawyer; Judge of the Supreme Court of Connecticut; served five times in Congress, from 1795 to 1805, etc .; elected governor of Connecticut in 18II, and died in office. He was a son of Gov. Matthew Griswold, and was also a native of Lyme, Conn. Both were prominent men and con- spicuous characters.

Edward Griswold was born in Kenilworth, England, in 1607. He remained in Saybrook a short time, and in 1639 settled in Windsor, on the banks of the Farmington river. He was a representative to the General Court in 1658, and justice of the peace before 1663. He organized the first settlement at Killing- worth, in 1663, and removed to the plantation of Hammonassett, which was named Kenil- worth after the place of his birth. After his death, in 1691, through the mistakes and er- rors of clerks and recorders, the name was known as Kenelworth, and still later became Killingworth. He was a representative from that town to the General Court from 1670 to 1689. By his first wife, Margaret, he had ten children, four of whom were born in England and came to this country with the parents. The mother died August 23, 1670, and her re-

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Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 58

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Beers Number of Pages: 1502

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Beers
Number of Pages: 1502